Google Pixel 5a teardown shows that it’s still a challenge to repair

Google’s Pixel 5a famously has a headphone jack, however you’d higher hope that the USB-C port by no means breaks. The truth that it is soldered on to the motherboard reasonably than being a separate element is one contributing consider its middling 5/10 repairability rating, in accordance with a brand new teardown from YouTube channel PBKreviews.

The Pixel 5a is Google’s midrange 5G smartphone and a direct successor to the favored 5G Pixel 4a. Although a bit bigger than the latter and now waterproof, it is outfitted with practically the identical inner elements, together with a Snapdragon 765G, 6GB of RAM and a 60Hz panel. It is a strong mid-range cellphone for $449, although basically a stopgap gadget till Google unveils the Pixel 6 household that can use its all-new Tensor cell chip. 

The excellent news is that the 6.34-inch OLED show is comparatively simple to interchange, as you’ll be able to pull it off just by heating it up and utilizing a pry device to pop it off. It is also pretty easy to get entry to the battery and motherboard, when you take away the quite a few screws and pry off the big metallic cowl.

From there, nevertheless, issues get trickier. The battery is glued solidly to the case and the pry tab meant to assist take away it’s “fairly ineffective,” in accordance with PBKreviews. As an alternative, they’d to make use of isopropyl alcohol to loosen the glue earlier than they may pry the battery out. The opposite concern is that the USB-C port is hooked up on to the motherboard, so making repairs to it will be “tough,” in accordance with the video. 

All advised, nevertheless, the Pixel 5a seems to be barely simpler to restore than its predecessor. When you may not attempt to repair it your self, which means it could possibly be a bit simpler to search out native service when you’d reasonably not ship it away to Google. The teardown additionally exhibits a solid-looking gadget with water resistance as a giant new profit — so hopefully, all that can add as much as a dependable gadget that will not want repairs within the first place.